How Big Is A Solar Panel | Calculating Your Solar Power Requirements

Anyone who plans to add an alternative energy resource to their home or vehicle they think about green energy resources and it is solar power system. But when they plan to get the solar panels they often get confused how big solar panels they actually need and what size solar panels would be perfect for their automotive, power boat or home to get the proper alternative energy power. Here is some information that will clear the confusion and a proper guidance about what size solar panels to choose.

Normal size of solar panels:

The physical size of solar panels varies brand to brand. The average size of a solar panel for home use can be 5.4 feet by 3.25 feet. But for commercial and warehouse the size of the panels will be close to 6feet long. If the solar panels are for trolling motor battery or for power boat, then a small size solar panel is enough to provide the energy. A 12 volt trolling motor battery can get enough energy from a small solar panel that is 14.1" in long 15.7" in wide and 1/4” in Thick.

Weight of solar panels:

The weight of a solar panel for residential use is about 60 pounds, on the other hand, commercial solar panels are wider than residential solar panels thus it is heavier than residential solar panels. Commercial solar panels weight will be closer to 70 pounds.

If the solar panels are for trolling motor battery or for RV battery then there have lots of options to choose lighter solar panels from the market. In this cutting-edge technology introducing cool features for solar panels. Now solar panels are foldable which make more convenient to use on boat or RV. A 12 volt folding solar panels Weight can be closer to 0.45 lbs.

Number of solar cells:

As mentioned above, folding solar panels are smaller than other solar panels it uses fewer cells to keep its weight lighter. A small 25×54 inches solar panel that is compatible for 12 volts battery contains 36 cells and can produce 17 volts peak output.

On the other hand, residential and commercial solar panels have more solar cells. Typically, a residential solar panel has 60 cells and residential solar panels have 77 cells.

What size solar panels perfect for you:

People think big solar panels can produce more energy though it is slightly true but not all time. Because the power of solar panels depends on the wattage it can produce. Before you decide to purchase any solar panels, you should consider some basic things which are as follows.

Daily consumption of your appliance:

When you think that you need to buy a solar panel for your home appliance or for your marine battery You should figure out how much energy your appliance need daily. This will tell you what size solar panel you really need. To check how much energy your appliance consumed daily check the billing statement.

If the solar panel is for a 12volts battery then you can choose a solar panel then can produce at least 15 volts.

Space available to install solar panels:

This is the most important thing when you buy solar panels. You should consider the space that is available to install your solar panels. If you buy a solar panel that is larger than your available installation space then you have to replace it and get the right size that is fit to space.

Make a budget:

Without a good budget, you can’t get a good solar panel. Budget is important when you want to buy quality solar panels. There are three types of solar cells used in solar panels. These are Monocrystalline, polycrystalline, amorphous or thin-film solar cell. Monocrystalline solar panels are more expensive than polycrystalline and thin filmed solar panels. These solar panels are more efficient than other solar panels. So, if you want more efficiency you have to spend more money.

Solar panels are worth to use as an alternative energy producer. And the eco-friendly energy producing system recognized this as green energy.